Pure Cleric build for a returning player?

[Begineizer]

Hi everyone, I'm a returning player who stopped playing around the time they introduced Epic levels (somewhere in 2011 or so?).

Back then I used to play Clerics in its purest form, I was basically a radiant healbot (with reasonable damage for a Cleric). From what I've read so far, there has been many changes to clerics, and that may not be a very much viable option anymore for endgame content.

Could someone point me to a build that would be as close as possible to a healbot, but still be viable endgame.

I'm not looking for the best overpowered build there is at the moment. Just a build I would enjoyed w/in these parameters. I would like to avoid multiclassing if possible.

I could be ready to do a mix of Cleric/Tank if that's also viable, but not my 1st choice.

I intend to TR my old character (so that would make it a 3rd (or 4th?) life).

Thanks a lot for your help everyone!

[unbongwah]

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post5759356

There's also a Morninglord pure cleric in my Iconic Builds thread.

[Atremus]

The best pure cleric is a pure warlock right now. Both arcane and divines are in a sad place without access to fully maxed out ED's.

[savingsoul]

Hi everyone, I'm a returning player who stopped playing around the time they introduced Epic levels (somewhere in 2011 or so?).

Back then I used to play Clerics in its purest form, I was basically a radiant healbot (with reasonable damage for a Cleric). From what I've read so far, there has been many changes to clerics, and that may not be a very much viable option anymore for endgame content.

Could someone point me to a build that would be as close as possible to a healbot, but still be viable endgame.

I'm not looking for the best overpowered build there is at the moment. Just a build I would enjoyed w/in these parameters. I would like to avoid multiclassing if possible.

I could be ready to do a mix of Cleric/Tank if that's also viable, but not my 1st choice.

I intend to TR my old character (so that would make it a 3rd (or 4th?) life).

Thanks a lot for your help everyone!

Happy to find someone returning who has an inclination for the role of healbot.

Things have indeed changed, but it's more about people's deficient attitudes and lack of knowledge/experience with roles and party dynamics than it is about the underlying mechanics of the game. I think things are beginning to turn for the better though. In any case, don't let it get in the way of playing the way you want to play. It's their fault, not yours.

Also, F*** Warlocks. They are currently overpowered and the class is therefore as it stands merely a means to buying your way to success. In the meantime, you can drop Warlocks from the class filter in your LFM. First problem solved.

Lastly, I've looked at the EllisDee builds, and a few of them are outdated with perhaps the exception of the pure casters. Your damage in the past probably came from casting b/c you were a healbot, so the pure caster builds may work out for you. Moreover, most of the battle cleric builds require multiclassing anyway, so ideally you will pass on those. That takes care of the second problem.

Good luck and welcome back to the game.

[Begineizer]

Thanks for your replies everyone.

Indeed, Back then, my damage mostly came from casting and dropping my BB to get rid of trash mobs, etc., and then focus on heals/buffs during boss fights.

I am going with this build that I found in the link provided by unbongwah (Thank you):
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...or-new-players

Basically, I just want to ease myself into the game with a simple build, which Ill eventually be able to adjust once I get my bearings.

And good news, I'm also bringing in new blood to DDO, as I should be duoing most content with a friend of mine who's an ex-WoW player.

[KomradKillMachine]

I am going with this build that I found in the link provided by unbongwah (Thank you):
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...or-new-players

Basically, I just want to ease myself into the game with a simple build, which Ill eventually be able to adjust once I get my bearings.

Prepare to be disappointed. That's one helluva outdated build.

[savingsoul]

I am going with this build that I found in the link provided by unbongwah (Thank you):
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...or-new-players

Prepare to be disappointed. That's one helluva outdated build.

Could you--or anyone else--please point out (a) way(s) in which the build is outdated? It would likely help (us).

[KomradKillMachine]

Could you--or anyone else--please point out (a) way(s) in which the build is outdated? It would likely help (us).

Its a 2013 build, no matter how you slice it.
Doesn't matter that he updated it with new feats.
Most of which are healbot worthy anyways.
By the time it hits epic levels, his Necro DCs would work reliably in Normal content at best.
If the you are cool with wasting sp on spells that don't land then I guess this is the build for you.
Also, even as a healbot prepare to be frustrated. You can't keep people alive in content where it matters (raids) and where it doesn't matter (quests) people can keep themselves alive.
You will be nothing but a glorified raisebot (even worse than a healbot) with nothing else to offer to the party and no ability to solo beyond casual difficulty.

PS.: 2013 called. It said it's sorry but it wants this build back...

[Jiirix]

To be viable in endgame contend, to avoid multiclassing and being a healing focused cleric is difficult without gear/tomes/pastlives. As far as I can tell your options are somewhat limited.

Playing a pure spellcasting and healing focused cleric: You can use weapons and light spell-like-abilities (SLA) in early levels and most pugs won’t mind to take a player controlled healing hireling along that comes with some bonus damage on top. Then come your “all-time high” levels from 11 to 20 when all you need are some good Wisdom, Evocation Focus and Force Spell Power items to make full use off Blade Barriers. Playing a caster cleric is great as long as you can BB-zerg most quests on elite.

If you got lucky with gear implosion and/or the destruction will work in low level epic quests but you certainly will hit a wall when your DC (and Spell Penetration in case of those pesky Drow) won’t cut it anymore. Even with all the helpful pastlives, tomes and gear I still have to rely on heavy de-buffing to make use of my clerics DC spells in higher level Epic Elite Quests. Or I just spam Ruin and Greater Ruin, but that is only possible because I don’t have to care about my spellpoints much. Without pots I am down to healing, rezzing and using cheap no DC spells like the light SLAs, but those do only insignificant damage to endgame mobs. I am somewhat useful in Legendary Elite contend when a full time healer can make a difference again. But the “power-gap” between low level epics and the very tough quests at cap is quite painful for me on my caste-cleric and feels like piking more often than not.

Playing a pure melee cleric is great at low levels and gets harder and harder while quest level and mob-hitpoints increase. The best and more or less only endgame viable “battle-cleric” is a somewhat healing specced paladin in Divine Crusader IMHO.

If you want to play a healer that adds almost free Legendary Elite viable Crowed Control to the mix you could have a look into the “Bowhealer” builds linked in my signature. But you may need some tomes and those benefit massively from multiclassing. My suggestion is to start one of the more-or-less easy button classes/builds for some casual playing and farming gear. Wait until Lammania is up again and test whatever cleric build you want to play before you make your long journey to level 30 on the live servers. You can level to cap in half an hour on the test server. This is a good method to prevent frustration on “not so easy to pull off” classes like clerics are right now.

[Vish]

If you're going duo,
I would suggest axels build. Not pure, a 15/4/1
It's what I went with to reorient after coming back after 6 years

You can kill stuff melee wise, and heal

Because really, clerics are gimp, and heal bots not needed
The warlock idea is best if you want to have fun

[savingsoul]

People, the gentleman would like to play a Cleric. If you do not like Clerics, and/or you do not like the role of healing, protection, and support, kindly move on to another class and/or forum. Thank you!

Thanks for the reply, Komrad.

Hi everyone, I'm a returning player who stopped playing around the time they introduced Epic levels (somewhere in 2011 or so?).

Back then I used to play Clerics in its purest form, I was basically a radiant healbot (with reasonable damage for a Cleric). From what I've read so far, there has been many changes to clerics, and that may not be a very much viable option anymore for endgame content.

Could someone point me to a build that would be as close as possible to a healbot, but still be viable endgame.

I'm not looking for the best overpowered build there is at the moment. Just a build I would enjoyed w/in these parameters. I would like to avoid multiclassing if possible.

I could be ready to do a mix of Cleric/Tank if that's also viable, but not my 1st choice.

I intend to TR my old character (so that would make it a 3rd (or 4th?) life).

Thanks a lot for your help everyone!

Thanks for your replies everyone.

Indeed, Back then, my damage mostly came from casting and dropping my BB to get rid of trash mobs, etc., and then focus on heals/buffs during boss fights.

Is there any chance that the following build could be adapted/updated (anyone)?
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post5504655

I really think you (Begineizer) would prefer a caster in light of your (Begineizer's) past style of play. . .

In the meantime, here are some recent comments related to the build that suggest it can be adapted/updated:

18clr/2fvs light nuker, sla spammer, in Exalted Angel. Like peanut butter and jelly.

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post5504655

Build I used on my light nuking toon.

Karmkoom

As far as Cleric/Tanks go, you really can't beat the following build, though I don't recommend it in your situation . . .
It's certainly something to be aware of in any case . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01zsCCvvS8U
Here are the build specs; be sure to click on the "list of images" for important details.
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...Legendary-Tank

And in the darkest moments, keep the following in mind:
#1 Soloist Build =/= #1 DPS Build
and
#1 Healer Build complements #1 DPS Build(s)

If somebody gives you a hard time, just remind them this is an RPG. If they don't get it, spell it out for them: ROLE PLAYING game. If they still don't get it, try this: ROLE playing game. And if, even at that point, they *still* don't get it: A rose is a rose is a rose. You've tried three times, so it's time to move on from these sheeple/zombies and play with others here on DDO. Besides, perhaps those you leave behind need time to figure out what hit them . . . From the get-go, like I said, it was their problem, not yours.

The ironies go deeper. For example, why log on to an MMO just to play with others as if you were on your own?

The biggest irony is that, in the past, trying to do everything on a single build was the clear mark of a new player or amateur. Some of the best advice I received when I first started came variously in the following form: Somebody Else Can Do It. So basically, on DDO, the current problem is that you have a bunch of amateurs trying to run the show and "advising"/criticizing others (who do take on roles) while thinking they have the higher ground. Actually, many are worse than amateurs, because they should know better (and people who are genuinely new to the game are blameless). Just treat them like you would any other Philistine, and remember, *you*--ever open to learning and always embracing the heart of the game--are on the higher ground.

In any case, as I've mentioned, the tide is turning; I've really had great experiences recently in gameplay.
Also, I've never had a person complain because I was healing and/or buffing them, etc. Rather, they repeatedly thank me.
So, as with all RPGs, you just need to go forth and be who you want to be.

[savingsoul]

Updated reply above ^^^.

[Tilomere]

Play a sunelf cleric.

Max evo DC + wisdom.

Use sunburst sla to blind everything to cut damage your party takes by 75% and speed killing 25% due to sneak attack eligibility.

Go afk between sunburst slas with healing aura ticking.

Call it a day.

There is no amount of healing or buffing or tanking you can do that will be more useful to a party than just using sunburst SLA and going afk.